Apply for and manage your grant

Apply for a public transportation grant

Below you'll find information for prospective applicants for state and federal grants administered by WSDOT's Public Transportation Division. Grants are funded on a biennial (two-year) basis, though some grant programs may fund projects on a four-year cycle. The following types of organizations qualify for at least some of WSDOT's public transportation grants: cities, counties, nonprofit agencies, private operators, senior centers, special districts (such as schools and ports), state agencies, transit agencies, and tribes.

Grant-funded projects include:

• Services such as transit; paratransit; transportation for the elderly, people with disabilities, and rural communities; commute trip reduction; and transit-pass programs.
• Vehicles and equipment such as new buses, vanpool vehicles, and supporting equipment.
• Infrastructure such as transit centers, park and ride lots, transit-signal-priority systems, and transit lanes.

The Grants Management System is a one-stop hub for public transportation grant applications, invoicing, and more. If the application method shown in the grants-at-a-glance table is in the Grants Management System, you will need to register for system access. Contact the help desk at PTDGMSsupport@wsdot.wa.govor 360-705-7711 for more information on registering for or navigating the Grants Management System.

Grant opportunities

We post notice-of-funding opportunities here and on the webpages listed in the grants-at-a-glance table below approximately 30 days before the application opens. Applications will only be available between the application opening and due dates. The application submittal method varies by grant and may be completed using a form or the Grants Management System, depending on the type of grant. More information is available by contacting your community liaison.

Green Transportation Capital Grant

We're accepting applications for the 2023-2025 Green Transportation Capital Grant program.

Green Transportation Capital grants provide funding to transit agencies for cost-effective capital projects that reduce the carbon intensity of the Washington transportation system.

Transit agencies in Washington state are eligible applicants.

Eligible project types include electrification of vehicle fleets; updating or modifying facilities for fleet electrification and/or hydrogen refueling infrastructure; upgrades to electrical transmission and distribution systems; and construction of charging or refueling infrastructure.

The application is open in the Grants Management System. Applications are due by 3 p.m. PDT, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022.

Consolidated Grant

We're accepting applications for the 2023-2025 Consolidated Grant program. Consolidated grants provide funds for public transportation improvements within and between rural communities; transportation services between cities; purchases of new buses and equipment; and public transportation services to seniors and people with disabilities.

Eligible project types are operations, mobility management, capital, and planning.

Eligible applicants are nonprofits, tribes, public transit agencies, and local agencies in Washington state.

The Consolidated Grant application is available in the Grants Management System. Applications are due by 3 p.m. PDT Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022.

Sign up for grant updates

To stay informed about WSDOT public transportation grants, you can register for updates by selecting “Public Transportation Grants” under “Funding” in the GovDelivery menu.

Grants at a glance

This table provides an overview of key dates and application methods for the grants currently administered by WSDOT's Public Transportation Division. We will update this table when grant programs are updated, added or completed.

Grant program	Application open date	Application due date	Approximate award date	Application method
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (one-time stimulus)	Not applicable	Not applicable	September 2021	Not applicable (formula distribution)
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act 2020 (one-time stimulus)	Not applicable	Not applicable	May 2020	Not applicable (formula distribution)
Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 (CRRSAA) (one-time stimulus)	Not applicable	Not applicable	April 2021	Not applicable (formula distribution)
Commute Trip Reduction 2023-2027	Not applicable	Not applicable	June (odd years)*	Not applicable (formula distribution)
Consolidated 2023-2025 (includes Paratransit/Special Needs, and Rural Mobility competitive grants)	July 21, 2022	Oct. 27, 2022	May 2023	Grants Management System
Discretionary – Bus and Bus Facilities – 5339(b) federal fiscal year 2021	Sept. 20, 2021	Nov. 19, 2021	March, 14 2022	Coordination with WSDOT
Discretionary – Bus and Bus Facilities – 5339(b) federal fiscal year 2022	March 7, 2022	May 31, 2022	No later than Aug. 15, 2022	Coordination with WSDOT
Discretionary – Low or No Emissions – 5339(c) federal fiscal year 2022	March 7, 2022	May 31, 2022	No later than Aug. 15, 2022	Coordination with WSDOT
Green Transportation Capital 2023-2025	Aug. 2, 2022	Sept. 29, 2022	May-June 2023	Grants Management System
Paratransit/Special Needs 2023-2025 - formula	Not applicable	Not applicable	July 2023	Not applicable (formula distribution)
Regional Mobility 2023-2025	May 12, 2022	June 28, 2022	June 2023	Grants Management System
Rural Mobility 2023-2024 - formula	Not applicable	Not applicable	Summer (annually)*	Not applicable (formula distribution)
Rural Transportation Assistance 2023-2025	January 2023	February 2023	April 2023	Form
Tribal Transit Mobility 2023-2025**	July 21, 2022	Oct. 27, 2022	May 2023	Grants Management System
Vanpool 2023-2025	February 2023	March 2023	June 2023	Grants Management System
Zero-emissions Access Program 2021-2023	March 31, 2022	May 10, 2022	June 2022	Form

* Award date for state funds depends on the passage of the transportation budget.

**Tribal transit funds will be awarded through the Consolidated Grant process for the 2023-2025 biennium. Interested tribal applicants must apply through the Consolidated Grant program.

For more information, contact your community liaison or Evan Olsen at evan.olsen@wsdot.wa.govor 360-705-6929.

Manage your public transportation grant

We provide the following guidebooks, and resources to help your grant administrator manage your grants, and maintain good standing with the Federal Transit Administration, and WSDOT.

Grant management guidebooks

• Consolidated Grant Guidebook (PDF 1.2MB)
• Regional Mobility & Green Transportation Capital Grants Guidebook (PDF 532KB)
• Commute Trip Reduction Guidebook (PDF 627KB)
• Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan (PDF 306KB)
• Drug and Alcohol Program Guidebook (PDF 600KB)
• Vanpool Investment Program Guidebook (PDF 298KB)

Trainings

Consolidated Grant management training

• 2021-2023 Consolidated Grant Training - administrative
• 2021-2023 Consolidated Grant Training - financial
• 2021-2023 Consolidated Grant Training - capital
• Consolidated grant management training handout (PDF 236KB)

Grants Management System training

• Claims reimbursement training
• Claims reimbursements instructions (PDF 884KB)
• Status reports training
• Operating status reports instructions (PDF 252KB)
• Mobility management status reports instructions (PDF 242KB)
• Commute Trip Reduction agreement status report and claims training

Procurement resources

Procurement forms and examples below are available on request from PTDprocurement@wsdot.wa.gov.

• Pre-award audit checklist
• Factory visit inspection checklist
• Factory trip expense worksheet
• Acceptance letter sample
• Buy America audit report sample
• Post-delivery Buy America and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards certification
• Post-delivery purchaser requirements certification
• Road test form
• Visual inspection form
• Department of Enterprise Services purchase authorization request
• Department of Enterprise Services purchase request form
• Department of Enterprise Services purchase request instructions
• Policy, plan and performance measurement templates and examples

Policy templates

Templates and examples below are available on request from your community liaison or the WSDOT project manager listed on your agreement:

• Administrative
• ADA policy
• Comment card
• Comment/complaint policy
• Drug and alcohol testing program policy
• Equal employment opportunity policy
• Ethics policy
• Harassment prevention policy
• Title VI policy/plan
• Unfair competition policy
• Volunteer driver policy
• Financial
• Disadvantaged business enterprise policy/plan
• Cost allocation plan
• In-kind valuation plan
• Capital
• Asset management plan
• Vehicle maintenance plan
• Regional Mobility Grant performance measurement
• Performance measurement plan: template
• Performance measurement reporting cover letter: example
• Performance measurement plan: basic example
• Performance measurement plan: moderate example
• Performance measurement plan: complex example

Other forms, documents and guidance

We have more resources to manage your grant, such as information on specific grant agreements, customized reporting and invoices, and documents for grantees on an as-needed basis. For assistance, contact your community liaison, or the WSDOT project manager listed on your agreement.

Asset management

We provide resources and sample forms to public transportation agencies to aid in the development of their transit asset management plans.

• Guide to Preparing Your Transit Asset Management Plan (PDF 200KB)
• MAP-21/Transit Asset Management folio (PDF 357KB)

A template for transit asset condition reporting, lifecycle analysis or inspection checklists and worksheets is available from Hiep Tran at hiep.tran@wsdot.wa.govor 360-705-7806.

Title VI tools

LEP Language App Map

The LEP Language App Map is maintained by the U.S. Department of Justice and can be used to identify limited English proficiency (LEP) populations by county.

See page 6 of the instructions to use the tool.

EJSCREEN

EJSCREEN is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency, and can be used to identify various demographic variables, including race.

Pair the “Report Widget” feature (see instructions page 31), and the Get 2014-2018 ACS report link (see instructions page 45) to create a report of the selected area with U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey data in PDF format.

Washington Tracking Network – Information by Location

The Washington Tracking Network’s Information by Location tool is maintained by the Washington State Department of Health, and can be used to identify populations of persons with disabilities.

Drug and alcohol compliance rules

These U.S. Department of Transportation rules apply to consolidated grants with federal funding and may be used as best practice for other transportation providers.

• Federal Transit Administration tools and resources includes implementation guidelines, best practices, policy builder, drug awareness video, forms, and checklists
• Federal Transit Administration drug and alcohol legislation and regulations, and publications
• Federal Transit Administration technical assistance
• U.S. Department of Transportation annual minimum drug and alcohol current random testing rates
• Office of Drug & Alcohol Policy & Compliance – subscription to ODAPC Listserv Notices for updates to drug and alcohol rules and resources
• American Public Transportation Association
• Community Transportation Association of America
• National Rural Transit Assistance Program

Code of Federal Regulations Title 49 – Transportation

• Procedures for testing 49 CFR Part 40
• Implementation 49 CFR Part 655

Substance abuse service providers

• Association for Addiction Professionals substance abuse professionals listing
• Association of Medical Review Officers directory
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services certified lab list

More information on managing your grant

For more information, contact your community liaison or Nhan Nguyen at nhan.nguyen@wsdot.wa.govor 360-705-6996.